Two Worlds
by bestrfcplayer
Summary: When Grover stumbles upon another demigod camp, the world gets thrown for a loop.
1. Chapter 1

The blast from a horn interrupted an otherwise peaceful morning. Percy groaned and rose from his yoga mat. Did they really have to hold a council meeting right now? He had purposefully cleared out the day for relaxation. No goofing off with friends. No stupid council meetings.

Nothing.

Why couldn't he have just one day off?

Percy reluctantly obeyed the noise and headed towards the Lodge. The enormous pantheon was the newest addition to the camp. Named after demigod Jason Grace, the building was as big as three football fields. Several columns supported the structure. They all had Latin phrases engraved on the foundation. Percy's Latin was a little rusty, but he could still get the jist of what they said. Something about family, loyalty and honor. Three classic Roman traditions.

Percy walked up the dreaded marble staircase. There were over one-hundred steps in total. Each step meant to symbolize how many months Jason dedicated himself to the Legions. All those stairs were to Percy was a pain. Any other day out of his week he would have been less bothered by trudging up the stairs.

For some reason that he couldn't quite pick out, he just did not feel right.

The inside of the pantheon was even more impressive. Twelve seats were lined up in an oval greated him. Meant to represent the Council of the Gods, one of those seats was his. As head counselor of the Poseidon cabin, it was his duty to attend these meetings. He had other things to do on a Monday, but he had no choice. It was his birthright.

Seated next to him were Annabeth Chase on his right, and Nico di Angelo on his left. He thanked the gods he didn't have to suffer through this alone.

"Glad you decided to show up." Annabeth quipped.

Percy shrugged. "Yeah, well. Today was supposed to be my day off. Now I'm behind on my meditation."

No response. Percy guessed she wasn't too keen on his eye roll.

"So any news on Grover?" Percy said in a whisper.

"Not that I'm aware off. That might be why Chiron called us over here today."

It had been weeks since his friend last reported to camp. There had been news of possibly yet another demigod camp somewhere in the country. Grover had been sent into the Deep South to find it. Scouts had said that was the most likely place for it. Percy shifted all negative thoughts of the meeting from his mind. If his best friend was in danger, he needed to take in as much as he could.

"Quiet!" Belted Gleeson Hedge. All conversations simmered down to only a few whispers. Percy noted the satyrs' megaphone. The room was big enough to where anyone, least of all Hedge needed any sort of mic. Guess everyone was out to annoy him today.

"Normally I wouldn't be scheduling a meeting first thing Monday morning, but some urgent news has come up that we need to address." He said staring right at Percy.

Percy's heart sank. Annabeth was right. If Hedge was calling an all hands meeting, things were getting bad. Though, not reporting back after a while was not always considered a problem. Usually it took demigods a week or two to get their first report. Even for the more experienced ones. If the report didn't come after that, then it turned into a problem.

"It has come to my attention that Grover Underwood has not reported back to us. Now, for those of you who weren't at the meeting a month ago, and there were quite a few, we sent our Head Scout, Grover Underwood, on a mission about a month ago. He was headed for the Deep South. Some time before that, our intelligence committee found what appeared to be yet another demigod camp."

Percy sat up in shock. Another camp? He had heard rumors of one, but he had brushed those aside. Camp Jupiter should have been the only other one. The Greeks and Romans were the only civilizations to adapt these set of gods. Unless.

"Sir, may I have the Council's permission?" He asked.

Hedge nodded. "Go right ahead, Percy."

"Well, if Grover really did stumble upon a third camp, chances are his position is compromised."

A buzz hopped around the room. He had them talking. Percy waited for a moment before he continued speaking. He wanted everyone to have some thought as to what he said.

"What do you mean?" Hedge asked.

"I've been brushing up on my history recently, and I remember something about a civil war. Could it be that camp was one that split from us?"

"That very well could be the case. I haven't heard about that civil war in a long time."

Hedge scratched his beard. Percy wondered what he could be thinking about. The man was old enough to have lived through that civil war. The event wasn't talked about much in their history books. Just a small footnote in what was wrong with this place.

Nobody had ever mentioned the war to Percy. Not even after he had gained so much respect from the rest of the camp. He had to do his own digging. He had found the book tucked away in a dusty corner of the camps' main library. It was titled _The Secret History of Camp Half-Blood_.

"Excuse me sir, but what civil war?" Another voice piped up. It came from Abby O'Brian. One of the newest council members. Percy could sense the shakiness in her voice.

"Ah, I forgot how new you are!" Hedge wheeled his way over the girl. "Some time ago- how long that was escapes me at the moment- there was a debate. Said debate was on what kinds of people that this camp should allow. Mind you, for context this takes place during the nineteen-fifties."

The murmores grew louder. The civil war took place during the fifties?

"Annabeth, was race involved at all apart of the fight?" Percy asked his girlfriend.

"Yeah, it's not a proud moment of the camp." She replied. "You found secret histories."

"I did." Percy nodded. "I can't believe there's so much that was kept from us. Why would they do that?"

"Even I don't know that one babe. Hell, I was barely trusted enough to keep the prophecy secret. The last thing they'd want to trust me with is all of the trouble this place has been through."

"Because you'll tell, won't you?"

"Exactly!"

They smiled at each other. Percy knew how much of a loudmouth she could be. He wondered how much convincing she had to do to even hear the prophecy. Let alone know the full meaning behind it.

"Ahem." Hedge cleared his throat. The room went silent. "Thank you." He rotated back to the center of the room. "This might come as a shock to some of you, but we did indeed fight a civil war. If Grover has not come back yet, then proof exists of another camp. We have been speculating for decades on where the exiled might have gone. I have called this meeting to send an official expedition to his last known location. You may now talk amongst yourselves before we put it to a vote."

Percy hesitated to put up his own opinion. If he did, he knew people would want him to go. He was once of the senior officers in the camp. Who better to send? And the quest was also very personal to him. Everyone would expect him to go. Instead, Percy just simply stayed silent. If he did not speak up, then people would forget he existed. Or so he hoped.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Abby sitting stone cold in her chair. He made his way over.

"How's my favorite daughter of Hermes doing?" He smiled. That eased her tension a little.

"I'm doing alright. Just kinda nervous." She said.

Percy looked down at her hands. They were shaking as if she had Parkinson's disease. He could feel for her. She looked like she was barely even ten years old and already was thrust into a leadership position. They had met a week ago, so he figured she was still new to camp. She reminded him a lot of Annabeth.

"It takes some guts for someone your age to be up here. You're probably the youngest out of everyone here." He said.

"Thanks." She didn't seem too thrilled at the revelation.

"So how do you like camp?" Percy asked. Maybe if he switched gears she'd be more willing to talk.

"It's alright I guess. Better than living at home."

"Once you get settled in you'll feel better. It takes everyone a while to adjust."

She smiled at him, and started humming. Percy went back to his seat. Maybe Annabeth could get to her. It was a bit weird that a man his age would approach a pre-teen out of the blue like that. He really should have known better.

"So how's the new girl doing?" Annabeth asked.

"She seems fine. Extremely quiet."

"She's probably scared to death, Percy."

He bit his tongue. She was probably right. Seeing as how most of them had gotten there from some sort of monster attack, there was more than likely some sort of emotional trauma the girl had to be dealing with. He thought back to his first few weeks at camp. He averaged around two hours of sleep a night. Abby was going through the same thing.

"How do you suppose we help her?"

"I don't know. I haven't met her yet."

"Why don't you go up to her after the meeting, Annabeth. She'd be more open to a women talking to her."

"Sounds good babe. Now about the vote?"

As if on cue, Hedge blew his whistle. Percy had completely forgotten about the vote. He had been so fixated on making sure Abby was okay. A slight panic began to settle in. They were all going to vote for him to go. He had no doubt.

"We shall now proceed with the vote."

They all got up one by one, and cast their vote. Percy decided to go with Annabeth. If anyone was up for the task, she would be better suited than him to go.

"I have counted the votes, and they read as follows: twelve yes, zero no. I shall now offer up four of you to go on a mission: Percy, Annabeth, Abby, and Alexander."

Shit.


	2. Chapter 2

Percy sat at the edge of the amphitheater, distant from everyone else. He was in no mood for conversation. The selection had hit him like a truck on a freeway. He had prayed to his father to not go on this mission. Either Poseidon was too busy to care, or just didn't. As his prayer was left unanswered.

Sitting outside allowed him time to clear his head. One positive was that he'd be spending more time with Annabeth. She would make the trip tolerable. Even then Percy was fuming. Coach Hedge didn't even put the recommendations up for a vote! He thought there was a chance he could slip by. Hedge must have sniffed out his fear. Maybe it was his eyes. They had been darting from place to place during the meeting. Typically, that was caused by his ADHD. None would have paid too much attention with the entire camp being diagnosed with the disorder. No, Hedge must have seen something else. His eye movements were not calculated like if he were in a battle. His eyes were too random. Floating about without a sense of purpose. Percy looked back inside.

Mostly everyone had left already. Annabeth and Nico were talking to Hedge. Nico was taking a back seat to what was a very heated discussion between the others. Percy could hear his girlfriend clear as day. It must have been intense. He couldn't make out everything she was saying, but it was obvious she wasn't happy either. She threw her hands in the air, and stormed off in a huff, letting out every insult and swear word she knew. Percy couldn't help but crack a smile. He motioned to Annabeth, and met her by the steps.

"What was that about?" He asked.

"Well." She took a deep breath. Percy braced for impact. "Hedge thinks it's alright to send two damn ten year olds into the heart of the Deep South! And one of them is black! I can't believe the gaul of that man. Why does he think it's okay?"

"Babe, you ran away when you were seven years old being chased by worse things than your racist uncle. They'll be fine."

"Fine?" Annabeth yelled. "Everything is so not fine! We lived in a different time Perseus! We are in a position to where we can prevent that happening to future generations! Demigods should be able to lead normal lives now that we've killed both Kronos and Gaea."

"Look, Annabeth I want to agree with you, but that will never be the case. No matter how much you want it to be. Once a demigod is born, their fate is already sealed. All we do is provide them a home and as normal of a life as we can make it."

"There is still room for change. There's always room for change." Annabeth retorted. Percy fell silent. He knew she was right. Change could be made. He had no idea how to do it. He felt somewhere deep down, Annabeth didn't know either.

Annabeth left in a hurry after being called by Nico. Percy took a walk along the commons. He needed to be alone for a while.

After clearing his head, Percy headed down towards the main hall. He just realized he forgot to eat all morning. The council meeting had occupied his mind more than anything. Maybe some food would help him think clearer.

The mess hall was filled to the brim. They had a new influx of demigods over the summer. Percy could barely squeeze through the door it was so bad. He thought about posting a sign that read 'sitting room only.' He began to grow agitated. Annabeth nor any of his friends were anywhere close to the entrance. He scanned the crowd. At the far left corner he found them sitting at a round table by the food line.

He flashed a smile towards Ananbeth. They locked eyes, and she nodded. Percy thanked the gods there was an open seat. Surely with how his day was going he figured he'd have been booted out soon after getting lunch.

After Percy grabbed his trey, he sat down. Leo and Tyson were engaged in conversation. Percy was lost after the first few words. Engineering jargon was not his forte. Sure, he knew some basic words, but anything more advanced flew over his head.

"Babe, what are they talking about?"

"Some new gadget that Leo's tinkering with. We should stop by the Hephaestus cabin later to see it."

"I'm down. Anything to bring the mood up."

"Is everything alright?" Annabeth asked.

Percy felt about lying, but took one look in her eyes. She had her infamous mom stare. The stare reminded him of his own mother whenever he tried to hide his feelings. He gave in.

"I've just been having a rough day ever since the meeting." He lowered his voice. There was no need for him to be a downer.

"I understand hun." Annabeth quickly flashed a soft smile, and gave him a small back rub. "You just want a little bit of a break don't you?"

"Exactly. After the whole Gaea fiasco I thought I'd be able to settle you know? Maybe actually go to college or something I dunno. Now with the new mission, who knows how long it'll be before things go back to normal?"

"I've been thinking about similar things myself. Multiple times over the past few months I've been so close to retiring."

She shocked Percy with the statement like he had just watched a bad car wreck. He guessed that was why she was so upset earlier. He must have been staring too long, as she gently nudged him.

"Oh, sorry." Percy rubbed his neck. "Annabeth Chase of all people considering retirement?" Percy tried to hold back a laugh. "I thought you loved it here."

Annabeth shook her head. "Don't get me wrong babe, I love Camp. A new change in scenery sounds nice once in a while you know?"

"You want to go talk to Hedge about the mission?" Percy asked.

"I'm good. After this we can tell him and Chiron that we're retiring. One more round won't hurt us, Percy."

He simply nodded. Somewhere, he had hoped that Annabeth was willing to let someone else go. Were they really ready to throw their lives on the line one last time? A camp in the middle of nowhere was not worth the risk, Percy thought. He tapped a finger on the table. If they went out again, there was the possibility of one of them dying. He wouldn't know what to do if he lost the love of his life to some racist hillbillies who did not matter in the grand scheme of things.

"So, Percy how was your meeting?" Tyson asked in between large bites of mashed potatoes.

"It turned out well. We found out what's happened to Grover."

The other conversations grinded to a halt. Percy began to feel his heart race with all eyes on him.

"You guys found him!" Hazel said, her eyes were brimmed with excitement. "I've been so worried for Grover."

"No, not exactly." Hazel's sparkle fizzled out like a candle to the wind. "He hasn't sent in a report in almost a month. We speculate that he's somewhere in the Deep South. His last known location was somewhere by Mobile." Percy explained. "We've formed a small search party to try and recover him."

"A search party eh?" Leo repeated. "I bet whoever took our buddy is gonna run for the hills when I get a hold of 'em!" Leo threw some punches.

Percy chuckled. "Leo, I appreciate the enthusiasm bud, but we've already picked out who's all going."

Leo looked crestfallen. "Ah well. Tell Hedge if you guys have anymore spots open, I'd be glad to help!"

"I'll run that by next time I see him." Percy said, smiling.

"So who's going then?" Asked Hazel.

"It's going to be myself, Annabeth, Michael Crist, and Abby Eisten."

Hazel gasped. "Why would they send Micael down there? Doesn't Hedge know that's a death sentence?"

Percy shook his head. "That's what Annabeth and I thought. But, he seems fit for the job."

"We'll take good care of him." Annabeth chimed in. "Not one of those sleazy men will lay a single hand on the boy."

"So Percy, what do you think about going?" Leo asked. Percy contemplated for a moment.

Should he say what he really feels about the mission? The million dollar question had finally reared its ugly head, and Percy still didn't know what to say. He had prepared himself during his walk. As it turned out, thinking about what he was going to say, and actually saying it were two completely separate things. Everyone was eagerly awaiting his answer. If he answered truthfully, then that burden would be lifted. On the other hand, it could worsen moral and call his leadership into question. It would be better to just save face and deal with everything later.

"Dude, I'm totally pumped to go on another mission!" Percy said with all of the fake enthusiasm he could muster.

"Yeah!" Tyson chimed in. "He's going to kick their tails!" He patted Percy on the back so hard, he nearly choked on his food.

Percy caught Annabeth's eye. She must have felt how uncomfortable he was, as she quickly changed topics. Percy excused him. He needed some water after that slap on the back. Composing himself was his second goal. He mustn't show his complete unwillingness to be thrown back into the line of fire.

"Hey, Percy can I speak to you in private for a moment?" The voice came from Hedge. Percy couldn't immediately spot him in the endless sea of people. He felt a sense of despair wash over him. Hedge was nearly out of breath pushing his wheelchair.

Percy thought about what news Hedge might give. All of the worst possible outcomes went through rapidly in Percy's mind. The possibility even cross his mind that Grover was found dead. He began to feel dizzy. As if all the weight on his shoulders began to crash down.

"Yeah, sure what do you need?" Said Percy as he was being whisked away into a back room. Percy felt like he was about to throw up. The dizziness manifesting itself through pangs of agony pounding against his stomach like a drum.

"Due to recent developments, we need you and Annabeth to come down to the pantheon immediately. Michael and Abby are already waiting" said Hedge.

One look at Hedge's face, and Percy knew there was something serious going on. It was the unknown that was making him sick. He ran out of the room to grab Annabeth. He did not want to throw up in front of the entire camp.


	3. Chapter 3

Percy nearly fainted when he heard the news. Anxiety had already been crawling all over his body when Hedge first burst into the room. Running like he were in a track meet to the amphitheater only made it worse. He could feel his lunch rising like a volcano up to his throat. Annabeth's small back rubs made things a bit more tolerable, but not by much.

The four of them were gathered at the base of the amphitheater. Michael and Abby were already engaged in conversation. Percy and Hedge exchanged glances. They could hear them from a ways out. Percy shook his head. This was going to be a fun trip.

"Alright, what seems to be the problem?" Said Percy, standing in between the two demigods.

"We were having a slight disagreement, that's all" said Abby. The two had their backs turned to each other.

"Can you guys brush it aside until after the meeting?" Asked Percy calmly. The last thing he needed was any more stress. They didn't respond. "Babe, I'm gonna need your help on this one."

Annabeth smiled and shook her head. "Just let them sort them it themselves. They're kids" She laughed. "Kids are weird."

"I guess you're right" said Percy. "I wonder how it'll affect their moral."

Annabeth waved it off. "I don't think it will. Even if it did, I'll talk to Abby right before we leave just to smooth things out."

Percy nodded intently. He could breathe now. If there was anyone who get something out of Abby, it was her. Percy disappeared into the shadows. He needed more time to think.

If the kids were already infighting, this was going to be a long trip. Percy was not willing to play the role of a parent to those two. Anything that distracted from the mission was a waste of time. Distractions just meant they were going to be there longer. Percy gave himself two weeks. If by that time they hadn't found Grover, he would return back and send in an even bigger force, while commanding them from home.

"Hedge is ready to see you now" said Annabeth.

The walk back was only ten feet, but the pounding, sharp headache made it feel like an eternity. Percy felt like sitting down, and letting all of the fears and doubts wash over him like a tsunami. Every step the pounding got louder. It was like he was standing next to the loudest amplifier in the world the more he walked. His breathing began to stray from the calculated stoicism he normally kept it at. His breathing now was starting to echo that of his mind. Random, fast paced charges followed by silence. Was he having a heart attack? No, his chest would have been hurting. This was a different kind of attack. Percy felt as if he was in the beginning stages of a panic attack.

He thanked the gods Annabeth sort of knew what was going on. The warmth from her hand was like a vaccination, targeting all of his worries. He began to feel a little better. Percy put on his best face for the group.

"What did you need to see us for, coach?" Asked Percy.

"I've gathered you all here because of a very recent development. As of one PM today, we have received a letter from Grover" said Hedge.

A letter? Percy could feel the weight on his shoulders start to lift. Grover was still alive.

"Well, go on tell us what it said!" Said Annabeth.

Hedge read out the letter.

_To Camp Half-Blood, _

_Sorry that I haven't been able to send anything for a while. Things haven't been smooth sailing here for a while. Did you guys know that the monster population is huge in the South? One of our more inexperienced members was unfortunate enough to bring a cell phone. Don't worry, he's still alive. Battered, but alive. _

_We have found what you were looking for, Hedge. There is indeed another demigod camp one-hundred miles outside of Dallas. Just as you predicted. Sorry that this isn't a big update like you wanted. We just discovered where the camp is. Expect an even bigger letter within a week or two. _

_Grover._

"Dallas? Why Dallas?" Michael was the first to speak up.

"Because, I figured that was the best spot to find the other camp. It's out of the way enough to where they can use the Mist without being spotted by mortals" said Hedge. "Texas is big. It's a perfect place to found a splinter group."

"Splinter group?" Percy asked skeptically. "You mean from the civil war?"

Hedge nodded. "Yep. Soon after the American Civil War, we had our own over racism and slavery. To date it is the only such occurrence."

"But what about the war against the Roman camp?" Asked Abby. "Isn't that a civil war?"

"Not necessarily. That was an incident between two separate entities." Hedge explained. "Ours was fought by fellow camp members."

"I know that" quipped Abby. She folded her arms.

Percy couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes. He was glad Annabeth volunteered herself to deal with the brat.

"So how long do we have before we leave?" Asked Percy.

"Glad you asked! Due to the circumstances, Chiron and I thought it best you all leave as soon as tomorrow morning." Said Hedge.

Percy's heart sank into the dark recesses of his stomach. He should have known. Hedge doesn't move fast unless its urgent. He prayed to the gods to give himself at least some time to prepare. He should have known better there too. That's not how things work at Camp Half-Blood. Always expect to be thrown against the current at a moments notice.

"Tomorrow?" Yelled Abby. "Can't you guys give us at least a week to prepare?"

Hedge shook his head. "No can do. The South is extremely volatile. We don't know how much time Grover has before something bad happens to him. It takes a few days to get down there by car."

"Why not go by plane?" Asked Michael.

"Because of that man" said Hedge, who pointed at Percy. "Zeus isn't too partial to the sons of the other Big Three. We'd be risking your lives traveling through the air."

"So who's driving us then?"

"I will" said Annabeth. "I'm the only one with a driver's license. Running into law enforcement would only complicate things."

Percy eased up a little. He thanked the gods he didn't have to take his mother's death trap of a car. Even if he did, something told him she wouldn't be quite right with him going on yet another mission. There was no question she'd freak over it.

"Great!" Exclaimed Hedge, clapping his hands together. "We will meet back here, in secret, at five in the morning."


	4. Chapter 4

Demigods were prone to having visions. It was one of Percy's least favorite part of the job. The night before they left, he had another one. The thing with demigod visions, was that he felt he was actually there when he experienced them.

He saw Grover, and his mind began to race. Grover was on the outside of a circle of what he could make out to be campers. The campers were draped in white sheets. His heart nearly stopped. Klan members? In the twenty-first century? Now it made sense why they chose Texas. They could take advantage of the large space with help from the Mist.

As Percy's vision began to clear up, he could see they were doing some sort of Klan ritual. He could feel the uneasiness crawl up his hairs as if he watched a horrible car accident. Time slowed down. He wanted to scream at them, but no sound came out. Right. Vision. He doesn't actually exist there.

He wanted to observe from afar, but the powers at be outright refused. He needed to see this.

All of the white shirts were standing around a large, several story high bronze eagle. Percy immediately recognized it as a symbol of Zeus. He wondered why Zeus didn't just strike them down right then and there. He had to know the negative connotations the Klan brought.

There was one that stood out from the group. He wore a purple robe, and showed his face. The man was short. Even shorter than Nico. He raised his hands in front of the eagle. Percy couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but he noticed his voice. The man's voice was much bigger than his own self. His voice boomed louder than the biggest thunderbolt Zeus could cook up.

After he finished his speech, he pointed to Grover. Percy felt his heart skip a few beats. The pounding got louder, and louder with each step his friend took. Purple Robe wrapped his arm around Grover, and shoved him towards the statue. Percy held his breath.

Another thing that he hated about visions was they only appeared when someone close to them was in danger. Percy had expected to be kicked out by now. Usually the dreams ended right before harm was done to the person. This one was shaping out to be different than the others. Percy half expected Grover to be burned by the torches that surrounded the figure. Or by one of the Klansmen. Purple Robe whispered something in Grover's ear. The satyr's face told everything. It was as if he was told a loved one had passed away. Percy's heart longed for his best friend. He knew what it was like to be put in an impossible situation. He understood completely if Grover were to commit to the ceremony.

Grover postulated himself in front of the idol. He was given a torch. Grover said something in a bastardized version of Ancient Greek. He then lit the bronze eagle on fire. The crowd of people erupted in a frenzy. They began to dance in a circle around Grove and Purple Robe. Percy felt a lump build up in his throat. Grover was just inducted into the klan.

Percy awoke in a silent fright. Sweat dripping down from all pores of his body. He needed to take a walk.

The crisp, summer night was a warm welcome for him. The smell of campfires filled him with waves of nostalgia. He longed for the days when his mother would take him to upstate New York for camping when things were going well financially. Why couldn't things be like? He had once been a young kid without a care in the world. His only worry being if a cartridge on his N64 would work, not being scared he had the chance to be killed by a stray monster.

Percy walked up the largest hill in the campsite. It was towards the entrance of camp, and he could see everything. It was a weekend, and nearly everyone was doing some kind of nighttime activity. There were tons of campfires being lit by the different cabins.

The fire triggered emotions from the vision flood back to him all at once. Percy's whole body began to feel numb. His breathing slowed to a crawl. The world began to close around him. He needed to sit down before they got worse. He put his head up against his knees. No one was allowed to know about the pain he was feeling. He thought about running away from everything. Even Annabeth. Just to retreat back to his childhood home, and forget about everything that happened ever since he turned twelve.

Percy Jackson just wanted to be normal.

He could feel what was left from his lunch resurface. If the pressure of this mission didn't drive him mad, then the vomit would surely finish him off. He was lucky the damage wasn't that much this time around. It left a small puddle-sized stain on the grass.

He felt better, but empty. He needed to eat.

What would Hedge say to him if he wasn't in bed? Percy sat, his feet glued by indecision. He thought it would be best if he stayed where he was. He had a better chance of not being spotted after everyone retired for the night.

Percy's thoughts drifted as his eyes did over the camp. What if he did leave afterword? He wondered who, if anyone would step up, because if he left then he knew Annabeth would follow. Grover? It made the most sense. He was the most experienced after the two of them. Nico was still far too young to lead the whole camp. Percy furiously scratched his head. The stress was clearly effecting his ability to think.

He thanked the gods that Annabeth wasn't there to see him in such a sorry state. He needed to be alone for the night. If they got into an argument, he would surely snap at her. Percy messed with his hair. He looked like a mess. He made a mental note to take a shower early in the morning before everyone woke up. He needed to straighten himself out somewhat before they left in just a few short hours.


End file.
